Charlotte, Countess Canning
| Charlotte Stuart | |
|---|---|
| Countess Canning | |
Lady Canning, by Franz Winterhalter (1849)
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| Spouse(s) | Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning |
| Noble family | Stuart of Bute family |
| Father | Charles Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay |
| Mother | Lady Elizabeth Yorke |
| Born |
31 March 1817 Paris, France |
| Died | 18 November 1861 (aged 44) Calcutta, India |
| Buried | Barrackpore, West Bengal, India |
| Occupation | Lady of the Bedchamber |
Charlotte Canning, Countess Canning (née Stuart; 31 March 1817 – 18 November 1861) was a British artist and the first vicereine of India as the wife of Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning. She was one of India's most prolific women artists – two portfolios in the Victoria and Albert Museum contain some 350 watercolours by her, the result of four major tours in the country.
As the elder daughter of the British ambassador to France, Charlotte was born and raised in Paris. She moved to England with her family in 1831, and four years later she married Charles Canning, a rising politician and son of the former Prime Minister, George Canning. Charles succeeded his mother as Viscount Canning in 1837, making Charlotte a viscountess; in 1859, the pair became known as Earl and Countess Canning.
From 1842 to 1855, Lady Canning served as a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria. She was a favourite of the monarch, but moved to Calcutta in 1856 when her husband was appointed Governor-General. She became India's first vicereine when the country came under control of the British Crown. As an artist and botanist, she collected flowers and plants during her frequent trips around India, while drawing the natural scenes around her. She became ill shortly before her scheduled return to England, and died of malaria in Calcutta. A type of Indian dessert, ledikeni, is named after her.
Charlotte Stuart was born on 31 March 1817 at the British embassy in Paris. Her father was the British ambassador, Sir Charles Stuart (later Baron Stuart de Rothesay), a grandson of the 3rd Earl of Bute. Her mother was Lady Elizabeth Yorke, a daughter of Philip Yorke, 3rd Earl of Hardwicke.
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